Is Rayo's Number the Largest Finite Number?

[donglepuss]

i'll start:

1/(1-0.999...)

 

[fresh_42]

I'll skip to the end: Ben Gurion!
http://www.ephraimkishon.de/en/my_favorite_stories.htm

 

[Vanadium 50]

Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer suggest this:

I'll skip to the end: Ben Gurion!
http://www.ephraimkishon.de/en/my_favorite_stories.htm

 

[DaveC426913]

i'll start:

1/(1-0.999...)

1/(1-0.999...) +1

The problem is that it is s trivial game if all you have to do is make up a number.

That's why I'm a fan of Grahams Number, which was (for a time) the largest number ever used in a math paper.

Its so large that it cannot be written out in the volume of the observable universe. In fact, the number that represents the number of digits in Grahams number is so large, it cannot be written out in the volume of the known universe.

 

[phinds]

i'll start:

1/(1-0.999...)

Bogus, since 9-bar is exactly 1 so you are dividing by zero. Why not just say infinity, since that's what you wrote?

EDIT: also, infinity is not a number, so you have violated your own rules of the question.

 

[topsquark]

I'm sure Dr. Seuss could tell you. (I don't recall the name of the book, sorry!)

-Dan

 

[BWV]

14

 

[pinball1970]

i'll start:

1/(1-0.999...)

Two philosophers getting drunk in a bar and one asks the other.
"i bet you half a crown that I can think of a bigger number than you."
The other guy thought for a minute and said.
"Ok you're on."
First philosopher thought hard for about 5 minutes in silence then blurted out in triumph.
"Two!"
The second guy thought for a while and said.
"Ok you win."

 

[pinball1970]

1/(1-0.999...) +1

The problem is that it is s trivial game if all you have to do is make up a number.

That's why I'm a fan of Grahams Number, which was (for a time) the largest number ever used in a math paper.

Its so large that it cannot be written out in the volume of the observable universe. In fact, the number that represents the number of digits in Grahams number is so large, it cannot be written out in the volume of the known universe.

Here is the man himself explaining where it came from.
Tree3 on numberphile is also interesting

EDIT: It would help if I posted the link. He died July 2020, I missed that. RIP Ronald Graham.

 

[Ibix]

<inhales lung full of helium> ${}^\mathrm{Two!}$

There, bet that's higher than any of you can manage.

 

[pinball1970]

i'll start:

1/(1-0.999...)

Is this the biggest? Rayo's number?